This module writes into a temporary FME FFS dataset and then translates the data into an Adobe Illustrator file for use with Avenza MAPublisher. Because it is not possible to access the wide range of controls that Adobe Illustrator provides to create a feature-rich map from within another application, you may first want to create a preset file in Adobe Illustrator that will be used as a template for your destination data.
It is typical that the data read into a new destination map will include data that lies outside the extents of the template map. To fit the data to the extents of the map, you must enable the Fit to Page After Adding Data option.
Data can added to a template containing a MAP View or a new MAP View can be created if one doesn't exist. Imported data is automatically assigned a MAP Layer type by MAPublisher.
Note: Hint: Use the MAP Theme stylesheet Auto-Assign option in MAPublisher to automatically have your custom styles applied as data is imported into Adobe Illustrator.
After GIS data is successfully imported into Adobe Illustrator, there are several options to handle the document using the Document disposition drop-down options to leave the document open, save it, or save and close it. To save a document using a specified name, enter it into the Destination AI file box and set the document disposition to Save or Save and Close.
To retain some of the original format attributes, you may want to turn off the Strip Format Attributes option.
Adobe Illustrator Parameters
Destination: Use FFS Folder
The location of the FFS file(s) generated by the MAPublisher writer is set in the writer parameters. Selecting this option results in any outputs from the FME-to-MAPublisher process going to the same location. This includes .ai files saved from Adobe Illustrator and geospatial PDF files exported from the MAPublisher Automation options. If this option is selected, the Destination AI File/Folder writer parameter is ignored.
Initial AI File/Template
Browse to the map file that will be used as a template for the destination map. This option opens an existing Adobe Illustrator file (*.ai) or Adobe Illustrator Template file (*.ait).
When an Adobe Illustrator document is selected, it is used to determine extents of the map, unless there are pre-existing matching MAP Views in the document. If no file is set for this option, a prompt will appear to create a new document when the import process starts in Adobe Illustrator.
Destination AI File
To save a document using a specified name, enter it into the Destination AI file box and set the document disposition to Save or Save and Close. Alternatively, you can specify only the Initial AI File, which will be overwritten.
Document Disposition
After GIS data is successfully imported into Adobe Illustrator, there are several options to handle the document using the Document disposition drop-down options:
- Leave open: After the import process is complete, the Adobe Illustrator document will be kept open.
- Save: After the import process is complete, the Adobe Illustrator document will be saved, and will remain open.
- Save and close: After the import process is complete, the document will be saved and then closed.
When neither a Destination AI filename nor Initial AI file/Template filename are set, a prompt at the end of the automation process to specify a file name will appear.
Existing Document MAP View
Fit to Page After Adding Data
Enable this option to scale the data (existing and incoming) to fit to the extent of the art board.
If Matching Existing MAP View Found
When an existing Adobe Illustrator file contains a MAP View with the same coordinate system as the data being imported with MAPublisher-FME Auto, the If Matching Existing MAP View Found option contains several options to handle the imported datasets:
- Create New MAP View: The datasets will be imported to a new MAP View.
- Prompt the User: A prompt will appear during the automation whether or not the GIS data should be imported to an existing MAP View. With this option, user can specify which MAP View to use. This option is useful when there are multiple MAP Views with the same coordinate system available in the specified AI file.
- Add data to first matching MAP View: If the specified AI file has multiple MAP Views with the same coordinate system, GIS data via FME Automation will be brought to the first MAP View with the same coordinate system as the one with the GIS dataset being imported.
- New MAP View Properties (optional)
Load from feature attributes if available
MAP View properties will be loaded from two reserved feature attributes, if that information is available:
- the MAPViewScale attribute specifies the scale for a new MAP View;
- the MapViewWKT attribute specifies the coordinate system for a new MAP View.
Coordinate System File
Specify a coordinate system file (*.wkt, *.prj, *.tab) for the new MAP View.
Scale
Specify an initial map scale for the new MAP View.
Origin
Choose a point of origin (lower-left corner or center) for the new MAP View.
Layer Options
Sort Layers by Geometry
Use this option to sort incoming layers by geometry. Points are placed above lines and lines above areas. When this option is disabled, layers will be added to the MAP View in the order they are received from FME.
Other Parameters
Strip Format Attributes
When GIS data is converted to FME Feature Store (FFS) format, the FFS file may contain extra attributes to preserve information of the original data format such as dimension, geometry type, and feature type information. Enable this option to prevent these attributes from being imported into the Adobe Illustrator document.
Note that FFS files retain all the attribute data from its initial sources, which may include source format-specific attributes, source user attributes, etc. While disabling this option minimizes the amount of data imported, enabling it may result in better rendering of the original dataset features and allow you to perform stylization in MAPublisher based on the original source attributes.
Wait for Result from MAPublisher
By default, after sending a request to MAPublisher to perform an import operation, FME does not wait for the application to complete it and immediately proceeds to the next item. When this option is enabled, the format writer will wait for MAPublisher to finish its work and report the results to the FME log, rather than having it displayed in MAPublisher.
Quit Launched Illustrator if Unused
MAPublisher-FME Automation starts Adobe Illustrator if it is not running. Enable this option to quit Adobe Illustrator after the import process if it was launched by FME and it has no other pending requests.
If Adobe Illustrator is already running when MAPublisher FME Auto begins, this option will be ignored.
Please also note:
- All writers in the workspace should have this option enabled in order for Adobe Illustrator to quit.
- Depending on timing, Adobe Illustrator may quit and launch multiple times if this option is set, since it makes the decision about quitting only based on the requests that have arrived so far.
Character Encoding
By default, the current system locale is used to decode language-specific data for attribute definitions and values. This option is the way to specify which encoding should be used to interpret the attribute data in MAPublisher.
FFS File Compression Level
This option is inherited from FME FFS writer option and has three settings: None, Medium, and High. A lower compression level will result in faster operation while a higher compression level will result in smaller file sizes.